This week in Australian foreign affairs: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pays tribute to Pope Francis; and Foreign Minister Penny Wong calls on Israel to end the blockade of Gaza.

US allies are revisiting their nuclear security arrangements in response to American pressure. For some who have long placed a mistaken trust in the proliferation-inhibiting notion of extended nuclear deterrence, a selective increase in the number of nuclear-armed states seems to be the most obvious answer to their fears of abandonment.   

The scale of Australia’s superannuation pool also presents foreign policy opportunities. However, without a coherent foreign policy framework to guide these strategic ambitions, conflicting objectives and risk aversion among fund managers threaten to undermine the effectiveness of this evolving role.